Incest: Father defiles daughters, 10 and 14, impregnates one

Residents of Daboase were thrown into a state of shock yesterday when it emerged that a father has for years been having sexual relations with his two daughters aged 10 and 14 and impregnated the elder one who has had to drop out of school as a result. The elder daughter told the police that for years now their father had been having regular sex with them so she was unable to recollect the number of times her father had defiled them.

14 years, six months pregnant

A medical examination of the children at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Referral Hospital in Sekondi confirmed that the girls had been defiled and that the 14-year-old was pregnant by his father.

The girls’ father, Mr Joshua Kwaku Mensah, is currently in the custody of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Sekondi Police while the children are currently with their mother.

When Mr Mensah was arrested, he admitted the offence and has been charged with two counts of defilement, two counts of incest and one count of unlawful custody. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 1.

Parents separated

According to the DOVVSU Coordinator, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Frank Nana Assumaning, the parents of the two girls were no more together and the mother had relocated to Accra with the children.

The father, not comfortable with the mother having gained custody of the children, managed to locate them in Accra where they were staying with their grandmother.

In the absence of the grandmother, the suspect sneaks into the house to defile the elderly one.

This daughter, who was not comfortable with her father’s behaviour, said she had reported her father’s conduct to her grandmother on several occasions.

Grandmother’s caution

However, the grandmother only cautions them not to tell anybody and that though it was an abominable act, it was not a new thing.

The DOVVSU coordinator said the father decided to take the children to the Western Region without informing their mother and grandmother.

Upon their arrival in the Western Region, Mr Mensah rented a place at East Tanokrom where he took the girls to stay with him rather than his original residence at Daboase.

Pregnancy

DSP Assumaning said Mensah later relocated with the children to another part of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis where he continued with the act.

He indicated that after realising that his daughter was pregnant, Mensah returned with them to Daboase.

Neighbours then called the mother of the children, Madam Yaa Foriwaa, on telephone to inform her that they suspected her 14-year-old daughter was pregnant.

Madam Foriwaa, the police said, immediately returned to Daboase and to her surprise, she saw that her daughter was pregnant. Upon interrogation, her daughter mentioned her father as the one responsible for her pregnancy.

DSP Assumaning said investigations were still ongoing.

In another development, the Tarkwa Circuit Court has jailed a stepfather for 15 years with hard labour for defiling his stepdaughter aged 12.

The incident happened at Prestea-Borboobo in the Prestea Huni-Valley District in the Western Region

The stepfather, Atsu Ametor, 26, took advantage of the absence of the mother of the victim, who was away in the Volta Region and had left the girl in his care.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Tarkwa Divisional Crime Officer, Superintendent of Police (Supt.) Mr Kwabena Otu Gyabeng, said last Friday, the mother of the victim returned to Prestea-Borboobo and detected that her daughter was walking abnormally.

She, therefore, approached her and was met by a pungent smell. After closer monitoring, her daughter disclosed her ordeal to her. The daughter added that her stepdad had warned her not to tell anybody about the incidents.

Mother’s fear

The divisional crime officer said the girl’s mother, Madam Forgive Dekqey, reported her husband to the police for allegedly defiling her 12-year-old daughter.

After a medical examination, it was confirmed that the hymen of the victim had been broken and that she was also having foul discharges which required urgent medical attention.

He said the case was referred to the divisional office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Tarkwa Police and following investigations, the accused was arraigned before the Tarkwa Circuit Court and charged with defilement of a child under 16 years contrary to section 101 of the Criminal Offences Act.

He said last Wednesday, the accused pleaded guilty in court to the charges and he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.